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euromaxx

Pierre Cardin - Still at Work (#303)

Fashion: Pierre Cardin still at work - 60 years after launching himself into the world of fashion, French designer Pierre Cardin says fashion remains his drug - and he'd do it all over again in a minute. That's certainly the kind of attitude that keeps you young - when he got started in the 1940s he was the youngest designer in Paris -today he's the oldest one still working, and after helping write fashion history in the last century he's now actively preserving his own legacy - with a new museum outside of Paris.

Music: Who cues the DIVA? - The DIVA is the star of the show on the opera stage - anyone who's spent a night at the opera knows that -but what many people don't know is that that diva is very dependant on another leading lady. The souffleuse or "whisperer" is like the extension of the conductor for the actors on what can sometimes be a massive stage. We found out more about this little-known job at the famous Semper Opera House in Germany's southeastern city of Dresden.

Art: Monk's Conceptual Art - And now for a look at some conceptual art - that's the kind where the IDEA of a work matters more than its physical substance. British artist Jonathan Monk likes to make it playful and even poetic, and he's as much a recyclist as an artist, often playing with paradox and conceptual strategies developed by others. So to see what that all means in the visual, we went to see Jonathan Monk's work on show at the Haus am Waldsee in Berlin.

Winter Sport: Speedflying the French Slopes - Imagine having a leisurely ski down a mountain and suddenly off to your right there's a kamikaze-type character, zooming over the off-trail side and simply lifting into the air now and again to avoid rocks, cliffs and crags. Someone who's skiing AND paragliding at the same time! These guys are called speedflyers and it's about four years ago that the sport was invented in France - the home of so many extreme sports! Despite its risks its now growing in popularity and we caught up with a group in Austria to see how it's done.

Collectors: Vintage Car Haven - For lovers of vintage automobiles let it be known that Germany is home to not one but TWO top locations for drivers, collectors, historians, and anyone who's simply crazy about oldtimer models. After the opening of the Meilenwerk automobile forum in Berlin in 2003, September of last year saw the Meilenwerk Dusseldorf open its gates. And with 19,000 square metres rented to capacity, it's like a permanent trade show for hobby and professional enthusiasts alike.

Music: Homage for Maria Callas - She was one of the most famous singers on the opera stage - Maria Callas - renowned for her voice, her beauty, and her capricious character. An American-born Greek soprano, her special talent was to combine her impressive bel canto technique with an amazing gift of expression - such that many of her performances unforgettable to this day. This year will mark thirty years since her death in 1977 and for the next 12 months special events all over the globe will pay hommage to her - Rome did the honour of kicking off the tribute with an in-depth exhibition. [26 minutes]

This episode has not aired in the past few months on Iowa Public Television.

Series Description: DW-TV's euromaxx provides an insight into the cultural side of Europe and the people who live there with colorful stories that reflect the rich variety of cultural life in Europe. From architecture and design to pop culture and fashion, euromaxx explores the region's new trends as well as its old traditions. euromaxx is as multi-facetted as Europe itself: an entertaining kaleidoscope of people, places and lifestyle. Each half-hour is packed with features focused on the latest in music, movies, fashion, food and travel. euromaxx always has a fresh take on today's culture - it's what's happening today and this week. It's topical, relevant, and as fresh as this week's Sunday newspaper.